Brain Tumor Heterogeneity

Tumor heterogeneity is the concept that different tumor cells provide distinct biomorphological lesions, gene expressions, proliferation, microenvironment and graduated capacity of metastatic lesions. Brain tumor heterogeneity has been recently discussed about the interesting interaction of chronic inflammation, microenvironment, epigenetics and glioma steam cells. Brain tumors remain a challenge with regards to medication and disease, due to the lack of treatment options and unsatisfactory results. These results might be the result of the brain tumor heterogeneity and its multiple resistance mechanisms to chemo and radiotherapy.

Giant mucopyocele associated with intracranial hypertension: Case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Mucoceles are epithelial lined sacs that contain mucous. Eventually, they can be infected and so called mucopyoceles, which are usually slow growing lesions with common bone destruction located in the facial sinus. Mucoceles show multivariate etiology and occur between the fourth and seventh decade of life. CASE DESCRIPTION: Patient, 55-year-old, female, was referred unconscious with Cushing's triad to our department; she had fever since four days. The findings of skull computer tomography highlighted a large bifrontal lesion with an invasion of the rear wall of the frontal sinus, compression of the frontal lobes, and midline deviation. She was taken for an emergency surgery, which showed invasion of the dura and mucous infection. Postoperatively, there was a fast recovery of neurologic level and extubation on the second postoperative day. She took antibiotics for 14 days and was discharged from the hospital without neurologic deficits. CONCLUSIONS: Mucopyoceles are usually slow growing lesions that rarely increases rapidly. Our patient presented signs of intracranial hypertension; therefore, it was necessary to have quick surgical intervention.

McCune-Albright syndrome with craniofacial dysplasia: Clinical review and surgical management.

BACKGROUND: Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is a benign fibro-osseous lesion related to an abnormal bone development and replacement by fibrous tissue. FD has three clinical patterns namely monostotic, polyostotic, and the McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS). MAS is a rare genetic disorder (about 3% of all FD's) that comprises a triad of polyostotic FD, café-au-lait skin macules, and precocious puberty. MAS can involve the orbit region and cause stenosis in the optic canal, leading the patient to a progressive visual loss. METHODS: We reported a case of craniofacial FD in MAS in a 9-year-old male with progressive visual loss, submitted to optic nerve decompression by fronto-orbito-zygomatic approach, with total recovery. A research was made at Bireme, PubMed, Cochrane, LILACS, and MEDLINE with the keywords: FD/craniofacial/McCune-Albright/Optic compression for the clinical review. RESULTS: A clinical review of the disease was made, the multiple, clinical, and surgical management options were presented, and the case report was reported. CONCLUSION: MAS is a rare disease with a progressive polyostotic FD. Whenever it affects the orbit region, the optic canal, and it is associated with a progressive visual loss, the urgent optic nerve decompression is mandatory, either manually or with a rapid drill. It is known that aggressive approach is associated with less recurrence; it is also associated with worsening of the visual loss in optic nerve decompression. In MAS cases, multiple and less aggressive surgeries seem to be more suitable.